EphB and ephrinB in pain signaling

The Ephrin type B receptors (EphB) and their membrane bound ephrinB ligands are involved in diverse facets of cell physiology and pathophysiology. EphB-ephrinB signaling mediates synapse formation and plasticity by regulating the insertion, localization and function of glutamate receptors in synaptic membranes. Whereas, EphB-ephrinB signaling at the excitatory glutamatergic synapses in the dorsal horns of the spinal cord, has been implicated in the pathophysiology of pain. Here, the key evidence that support the participation of EphB-ephrinB signaling in pain processes are highlighted. Then, a possible role for the pseudokinase EphB6 in the EphB-ephrinB pain signaling complex is considered. These pathways are currently being intensely studied to exploit selective therapeutic targets for pain relief

Shared affinities : the effect of shared neoliberal orientation on foreign policy behaviors /

In the literature, scholars have linked various aspects of the economic philosophy of neoliberalism to a variety of foreign policy behaviors. However, these studies typically only utilize one aspect of neoliberalism in their analyses. In this dissertation, I examine three types of foreign policy behaviors, foreign aid efforts, economic sanctioning behavior, and interstate conflict onset, using a multi-faceted definition of neoliberalism. By using this definition to create proxies, I provide a more comprehensive analysis of the effect of neoliberalism on behaviors. Further, this definition allows me to include individual level factors capture the effect of leadership on foreign policy behaviors. In three empirical chapters, I examine the effect of neoliberalism on behavior and generally find results matching my expectations.Dr. A. Cooper Drury, Dissertation Supervisor.Includes bibliographical references

Human development in the twenty-first century: visionary ideas from systems scientists

Journal ArticleThe dynamic systems approach is an emerging interdisciplinary set of principles used by a diverse collection of scientists to help understand the complex world in which we live. The main insight that unites these scientists, despite wide differences in methods and concepts, is a focus on connections and relationships. A relationship between a particular parent and child, for example, is distinguished by the expressions and gestures as well as the words by which they understand each other. A parent's raised eyebrow might mean "pay attention," or "be careful" to their child. This small and subtle gesture has meaning to both parent and child because they have worked it out together by repeatedly learning how to understand each other, negotiating their mutual needs and goals. The raised eyebrow represents that whole history of the growth of the relationship. The relationship is a dynamic system because it changes over time (it is dynamic) and because the mutually understood gestures are the result of both people working together to create something that is more than either one of them alone (it is a relationship system). A dynamic system is a relationship that grows over time, has a history, and is more than the simple sum of its parts

Initial Findings on Visual Acuity Thresholds in an African Elephant (\u3cem\u3eLoxodonta africana\u3c/em\u3e)

There are only a few published examinations of elephant visual acuity. All involved Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and found visual acuity to be between 8′ and 11′ of arc for a stimulus near the tip of the trunk, equivalent to a 0.50 cm gap, at a distance of about 2 m from the eyes. We predicted that African elephants (Loxodonta africana) would have similarly high visual acuity, necessary to facilitate eye-trunk coordination for feeding, drinking and social interactions. When tested on a discrimination task using Landolt-C stimuli, one African elephant cow demonstrated a visual acuity of 48′ of arc. This represents the ability to discriminate a gap as small as 2.75 cm in a stimulus 196 cm from the eye. This single-subject study provides a preliminary estimate of the visual acuity of African elephants

Assessing the Benefits of Public Research Within an Economic Framework: The Case of USDA's Agricultural Research Service

Evaluation of publicly funded research can help provide accountability and prioritize programs. In addition, Federal intramural research planning generally involves an institutional assessment of the appropriate Federal role, if any, and whether the research should be left to others, such as universities or the private sector. Many methods of evaluation are available, peer review—used primarily for establishing scientific merit—being the most common. Economic analysis focuses on quantifying ultimate research outcomes, whether measured in goods with market prices or in nonmarket goods such as environmental quality or human health. However, standard economic techniques may not be amenable for evaluating some important public research priorities or for institutional assessments. This report reviews quantitative methods and applies qualitative economic reasoning and stakeholder interviewing methods to the evaluation of economic benefits of Federal intramural research using three case studies of research conducted by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Differences among the case studies highlight the need to select suitable assessment techniques from available methodologies, the limited scope for comparing assessment results across programs, and the inherent difficulty in quantifying benefits in some research areas. When measurement and attribution issues make it difficult to quantify these benefits, the report discusses how qualitative insights based on economic concepts can help research prioritization.Agricultural Research Service, Federal intramural research, publicly funded research, Environmental Economics and Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Livestock Production/Industries, Productivity Analysis,

Blockchain metrics and indicators in cryptocurrency trading

The objective of this paper is the construction of new indicators that can be useful to operate in the cryptocurrency market. These indicators are based on public data obtained from the blockchain network, specifically from the nodes that make up Bitcoin mining. Therefore, our analysis is unique to that network. The results obtained with numerical simulations of algorithmic trading and prediction via statistical models and Machine Learning demonstrate the importance of variables such as the hash rate, the difficulty of mining or the cost per transaction when it comes to trade Bitcoin assets or predict the direction of price. Variables obtained from the blockchain network will be called here blockchain metrics. The corresponding indicators (inspired by the ‘‘Hash Ribbon’’) perform well in locating buy signals. From our results, we conclude that such blockchain indicators allow obtaining information with a statistical advantage in the highly volatile cryptocurrency market

The Role of Scientific Evidence in Canada\u27s West Coast Energy Conflicts

With salience, credibility, and legitimacy as organizing themes, we investigated how opposing communities engaged with scientific information for two contentious proposed energy projects in western Canada, and how their perceptions of science influenced its use in decision-making. The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, to carry diluted bitumen from northern Alberta’s oil sands to tankers on British Columbia’s (BC) south coast, was expected to adversely impact biodiversity and contribute to climate change. The Bute Inlet hydroelectric project, a large renewable energy project planned for BC’s Central Coast, was anticipated to impact biodiversity but was largely seen as climate-friendly. Based on surveys and interviews with 68 participants who had made one or more personal or professional decisions pertaining to the projects, we discovered that values, cultural cognition, and media effects permeated all aspects of using scientific evidence—from commissioning scientific research to selecting, assessing, and weighing it with other forms of information. As a result, science was developed and used to support positions rather than to inform decisions. We discuss ways to improve the use of science in environmental assessments and other planning and development processes where engaged communities are divided by oppositional positions. We hope this research will lead to community-university partnerships that identify broadly salient, credible, and legitimate sources of information about energy and climate issues, and foster knowledge mobilization across conflict divides

Policy Document on Earth Observation for Urban Planning and Management: State of the Art and Recommendations for Application of Earth Observation in Urban Planning

A policy document on earth observation for urban planning and management resulting from a workshop held in Hong Kong in November 2006 is presented. The aim of the workshop was to provide a forum for researchers and scientists specializing in earth observation to interact with practitioners working in different aspects of city planning, in a complex and dynamic city, Hong Kong. A summary of the current state of the art, limitations, and recommendations for the use of earth observation in urban areas is presented here as a policy document

The First Detection of [O IV] from an Ultraluminous X-ray Source with Spitzer. II. Evidence for High Luminosity in Holmberg II ULX

This is the second of two papers examining Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) observations of the ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) in Holmberg II. Here we perform detailed photoionization modeling of the infrared lines. Our analysis suggests that the luminosity and morphology of the [O IV] 25.89 $\mu$m emission line is consistent with photoionization by the soft X-ray and far ultraviolet (FUV) radiation from the accretion disk of the binary system and inconsistent with narrow beaming. We show that the emission nebula is matter-bounded both in the line of sight direction and to the east, and probably radiation-bounded to the west. A bolometric luminosity in excess of 10$^{40}$ erg s$^{-1}$ would be needed to produce the measured [O IV] flux. We use modeling and previously published studies to conclude that shocks likely contribute very little, if at all, to the high-ionization line fluxes observed in the Holmberg II ULX. Additionally, we find that the spectral type of the companion star has a surprisingly strong effect on the predicted strength of the [O IV] emission. This finding could explain the origin of [O IV] in some starburst systems containing black hole binaries.Comment: Accepted by Ap

Options for basing Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) on chronic disease endpoints: report from a joint US-/Canadian-sponsored working group.

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are used in Canada and the United States in planning and assessing diets of apparently healthy individuals and population groups. The approaches used to establish DRIs on the basis of classical nutrient deficiencies and/or toxicities have worked well. However, it has proved to be more challenging to base DRI values on chronic disease endpoints; deviations from the traditional framework were often required, and in some cases, DRI values were not established for intakes that affected chronic disease outcomes despite evidence that supported a relation. The increasing proportions of elderly citizens, the growing prevalence of chronic diseases, and the persistently high prevalence of overweight and obesity, which predispose to chronic disease, highlight the importance of understanding the impact of nutrition on chronic disease prevention and control. A multidisciplinary working group sponsored by the Canadian and US government DRI steering committees met from November 2014 to April 2016 to identify options for addressing key scientific challenges encountered in the use of chronic disease endpoints to establish reference values. The working group focused on 3 key questions: 1) What are the important evidentiary challenges for selecting and using chronic disease endpoints in future DRI reviews, 2) what intake-response models can future DRI committees consider when using chronic disease endpoints, and 3) what are the arguments for and against continuing to include chronic disease endpoints in future DRI reviews? This report outlines the range of options identified by the working group for answering these key questions, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each option